Many veterans struggle to find jobs after service

Matt Monica, who served as a U.S. Marine, said getting a job then was just as hard as it is now.

"Even back in the mid 60s, there was some difficulty in finding a position," Monica said.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for veterans is 6.9%. The nation's overall jobless rate is 7.3%. For young veterans who served after September 11th, the number goes up to 10%.

"Some people in general do not favor our military involvement throughout the world and somehow it brings a bad flavor to their interpretation of veterans and those in the military," Monica said.

The Center for a New American Security did research showing employers have a lot of misconceptions about veterans -- such as fear of future deployment and concerns over acclimation. Monica said he wanted to clear it up.

"If they hire men and women of the military, they will get a committed dedicated individual who is very responsible who already has extensive training usually in the field they are hiring in," he said.

The future might not look better for veterans, though. The VOW to Hire Heroes Act, a federal program that retrains veterans and offers tax breaks to businesses that hire veterans, expires at the end of the year.

"I think the government needs to supplement the benefits these companies give to hire military men and women and make more of a strong stand about how the military impacts the business world," Monica said.